Exploring the causal association between inflammatory cytokines and pancreatic cancer: a two-sample Mendelian randomized study

Abstract Objectives Research has revealed an association between inflammatory cytokines and the development of pancreatic cancer (PC). Nevertheless, the relationship between cause and effect remains uncertain. Our objective was to conduct a more comprehensive evaluation of the causal connection between 41 circulating inflammatory cytokines and PC. Methods In this research, we examined the correlation between inflammatory proteins and PC using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. The exposure data for genetic variation in 41 circulating inflammatory cytokines were obtained from Genome-wide Association Study (GWAS) data of individuals of European ancestry. The corresponding genetic association for PC was derived from FinnGen's GWAS data as outcome data. This research mainly utilized the IVW method, which is based on inverse variance weighting. Results The analysis of IVW findings indicated that SCF is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.02–1.88; p = 0.03). On the other hand, IL-6 exhibited a beneficial safeguarding effect on pancreatic cancer (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.53–0.98; p = 0.04). Analysis revealed no heterogeneity or horizontal multipotency. Other inflammatory factors did not show a clear causal link to PC. Conclusions This study revealed a cause-and-effect relationship between specific inflammatory factors and PC, which may provide new directions for identifying the pathogenesis of PC and effective treatment strategies involving inflammatory factors.